This invention relates to a machine for picking up a part at a first station, for moving the part along a generally straight path toward a second station and then for moving the part along a substantially right-angled path to positively place the part in the second station. Such a machine is commonly referred to as being a pick and place machine. With some such machines, the part at the first station also is positively picked up from the first station and is initially moved at right angles to the path between the stations before being shifted along such path. Thus, the part moves in a generally U-shaped or C-shaped path as it travels between the stations.
Many different types of pick and place machines exist in the prior art. Typical examples are disclosed in Dixon U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,822; Dixon U.S. Pat. No. 4,441,582 and Shirao U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,819.
The general aim of the present invention is to provide a new and improved pick and place machine which is of relatively simple construction, which is comparatively fast, quiet and smooth in operation, which is relatively compact while being capable of transferring the part through a relatively long distance between stations, and which can be easily adjusted or modified to change either the distance the part moves along each portion of the path or to change the configuration of the path itself.
A more detailed object of the invention is to achieve the foregoing by providing a new and improved pick and place machine in which a single reversible actuator coacts with a cam, a crank, a slide and a pair of parallel links which uniquely interact to effect fast but smooth shifting of a parts handling head along a desired path in response to operation of the actuator.
Another object of the invention is to provide a pick and place machine in which the single actuator for shifting the parts handling head is in the form of a reciprocating actuator which is of comparatively inexpensive construction and which is relatively simple to control.
The invention also resides in the novel use of a flexible toothed belt in conjunction with the actuator to convert the reciprocating motion of the actuator into oscillating motion for shifting the parts handling head, the belt being very quiet in operation and enabling the stroke of the head to be easily adjusted in small and precise increments.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.